PHILEMON: Wooden Translation

This is a very rough, imperfect translation of Paul and Timothy's letter to Philemon, which still needs work in several areas. My purpose in publishing it is so that you might see more clearly God's intention in the original text. Also, this will help you understand some of the things that I say in my synopsis of the book of Philemon. Another thing: I translated the second person plural pronouns as "ye" as opposed to "y'all" because it's more formal. Unfortunately, and because English stinks, we no longer have second person plural pronouns nowadays. Words in italics are implied in the original Greek.

TO PHILEMON

Paul a chained-one of Christ who is Jesus and Timothy the brother to our beloved and fellow-working Philemon 2 and to Apphia the sister and to Archippus the fellow-soldier of us and to the church in your house, 3 grace to ye and peace from of God our Father and of the Lord who is Jesus who is Christ.

4 I give thanks to my God always your remembrance being made at my prayers, 5 hearing your love and faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 so that the fellowship of your faith may become effective by the knowledge of every good thing by us[1] for Christ. 7 For much joy I have and encouragement over your love, because the affections of the saints have[2] been refreshed through you, brother.

8 Therefore having much boldness in Christ to command to you the befitting thing 9 because of the love rather I exhort, being such as Paul an older[3] and now also a chained-one of Christ who is Jesus: 10 I exhort you concerning my child, whom I begot in the chains, Onesimus, 11 the one formerly to you useless but now also to you and to me useful, 12 whom I sent to you, him, this one is my affections: 13 whom I myself was intending to hold back to myself, in order that for you to me he might serve in the chains of the gospel, 14 but without your approval I wanted to do nothing, in order that not as according to pressure your goodness would be, but according to voluntariness.

15 For perhaps because of this he was separated for an hour, in order that you might have him back eternal, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother, most of all to me, so how much more to you? both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 Therefore if me you have as a fellowshipper, you yourself receive him as me. 18 And if anything he wronged you or he owes, this to me be imputing. 19 I, Paul, write with my hand, I—I will repay[4]: in order that I might not say to you that also yourself to me you owe. 20 Yes brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord: refresh my affections in Christ.

21 Having trusted in your obedience I write to you, having known that even beyond what I say you will do. 22 And at once also prepare for me a guest-room: for I hope that through the prayers of ye I will be graciously[5] given to ye.

23 He greets you himself Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ who is Jesus, 24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

25 The grace of the Lord who is Jesus who is Christ be with the spirit of ye.

Words to keep track of: cognate terms of "fellowship" (vv. 6, 17), "refresh" (vv. 7, 20), "affections" (vv. 7, 12, 20), "brother" (vv. 1, 7, 16, 20), "fellow" terms (vv. 1-2, 23-24).

[1] “by us” = meaning through this letter.

[2] The affections of the saints is treated by Paul as the singular subject of the verb translated as “have been refreshed”.

[3] Meaning an old man.

[4] Paul adds the nominative, 1st, singular, personal pronoun “ἐγὼ” to the verb “ἀποτίσω” for emphasis. The verb by itself carries this information in its form. Ex: I write is one term in the Greek.

[5] The verb here is “χαρισθήσομαι”. Χαρις is the Greek noun for “grace, favor”. This verb means to “graciously give”/to “freely give” in this context. Yet it is one term and it is ridiculous to translate one verb as both an adverb and a verb, so I put the adverb graciously in italics.